


Nobody knows

by GreenPhoenix



Series: Nobody knows [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU, Oz (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-12
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 03:02:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2294408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenPhoenix/pseuds/GreenPhoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Toby gets released from Oz, he works as a volunteer at a Rape Crisis Center, and is asked to council a young man in distress, then he meets Elliot Stabler. A friendship of sorts starts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody knows

He had no choice. It was taken away from him the moment he entered Oz.  
They made all the decisions for him, and then Schillinger decided all his actions. Once he rebelled against Vern he tried to prove he had some say in how his life turned out.  
Then Keller happened.  
Every defense he’d built up so carefully came tumbling down. Then Keller stabbed him in the heart, at least metaphorically and ended their tempestuous relationship by killing himself.  
It was on him, for turning Chris away that final time. At least he’d been acquitted of having a part in Chris’ death.

*  
Tobias Beecher, ex-con, ex-lawyer, ex-lover, ex a lot of things, he was now trying to reclaim his life. He was volunteering at a rape crisis center. Seemed to make sense, trying to give some back after taking the lives of Kathy Rockwell and Schillinger’s sons. Metzger didn’t count, and Chris was always a part of him.  
It was a way of dealing with what had happened to him in Oz.

*

“There’s a young man, Tobias,” said the counselor, sister Theresa, who was a friend of Pete Marie’s. “His name is Dennis Coleman. He’s a recovering heroin addict, he was probably raped by a man he knew.”

“What makes you think I’m suited to help him?” asked Toby.  
“SVU brought him here. They found him wandering the streets, confused and showing signs of trauma. He was living with the possible rapist. Now that man is gone. He won’t talk to SVU about what happened. Olivia Benson is one of their best, she really knows how to connect with these victims, but she couldn’t get him to open up. I thought maybe you could try. He’s staying with us for now.”

“I could try to talk to him.” SVU was where Chris’ half-brother Elliot worked.

“They think the rapist is still on the loose. It could be good to get the boy’s statement.  
It might prevent others from falling prey to this man.”

Toby nodded. He’d been out of Oz for a year now, and volunteering really gave him a sense of purpose. He did paperwork for his family’s law firm, and was hoping he could get reinstated as a lawyer some day.

 

*

The young man looked about seventeen, blond hair and blue eyes. He was actually twenty-one but it was like he’d been frozen in time.  
“Hi. I’m Tobias Beecher, I volunteer here.”  
“Dennis Coleman, I have no idea what to say to you.”  
“It’s okay, I’m here to listen.”  
“I don’t want to talk now. Tell me about you instead,” said Dennis and picked at his worn sweater.  
“I was in Oz for six years.”  
“You an ex-con?”  
“Yes. I know a thing or two about suffering.”  
“I bet you do. Were you an addict too?”  
“Yes, alcohol and heroin.” And Keller.  
“What were you in for?”  
“Murder. Drove my car while drunk and hit a young girl. She died.”  
“Ouch. And they think you can get me to talk?”  
“Maybe so.”  
“Were you somebody’s bitch?” His voice held a challenge, daring Toby to tell the ugly truth.  
“Yeah.”  
“Shit.”  
“He’s dead now. I killed him, but it was only because my psycho boyfriend swapped a fake shank for a real one during a performance of Macbeth.”  
“Holy shit. Were you the other guy’s bitch too?”  
“I loved him. He was deeply disturbed, well so was I. He comforted me and tore my life apart.”  
“Your life is a Shakespeare play.”  
“Yeah, a tragedy. “  
“I was nobody’s bitch. I’m stronger than that.” He looked as cocky as Adam Guenzel and would probably be torn to shreds as easily.  
“I’m sure you are. I’m sure you’re stronger than I was. You beat your addiction.”  
“Yes.”  
Dennis grew silent and stared at his sneakers. They had a long way to go.

*  
He saw Elliot Stabler and it felt like a stab to the gut. He knew Chris had a half-brother who was a cop, but not that Elliot was Chris’ spitting image. He wanted to run over to him and kiss him, but stopped himself. That wasn’t the man he loved and hated above all else.  
“Beecher?” said Stabler. “You were Chris’ lover weren’t you?”  
“I was, yeah.”  
“Sorry. I knew Chris was a piece of work. “  
“I loved him. More than anything else.”  
“I’m sure you did. So, think you can get the boy to open up?”  
“Yeah. It’ll take time; he’s not ready to face what happened yet. “  
“We don’t have time. We have a rough sketch of the perp and no witnesses other than the boy.”  
“I’m sorry. I’ll try my best.”  
“Okay. I’ll see you,” said Stabler and left.  
Beecher wondered how on earth he’d accomplish the task at hand.

*

Toby saw Dennis and tried to get him to open up about what had been done to him. Sister Theresa advised the boy while he was staying at the center.  
Toby used his parents’ connections to find Dennis a flat, and a job at a store belonging to a friend of theirs.  
Dennis grew to trust Toby, because he never held back the truth about his sordid past, or tried to find excuses for his actions. He simply stayed real, and Dennis could sense that.  
He was a highly impressionable young man. Toby knew the type far too well. At one point he’d gotten through to one like that, and used it to destroy him. Andy Schillinger.  
He swore to get it right this time, and atone for his sins somehow.

*  
Dennis would be ready soon; he’d referred to the man in less than flattering terms more than once.  
Toby felt a sense of recognition. He’d had the same feeling himself, when he’d realized that what Schillinger did was not something he wanted or deserved.  
Being with Keller had reminded him of the difference between wanting something so bad it could tear you apart not to have it, and not wanting it at all.  
Keller had sort of healed him with sex, oddly enough.  
And now he was gone.  
His memory would always linger, and not just because Stabler resembled him so strongly.  
No, Keller remained in every corner of his mind, and every dream he dreamed.

*

“He didn’t do anything bad to me,” said the young man and looked obstinate.  
“You sure?” asked Toby.  
“I was there wasn’t I?”  
“You were. Maybe he coerced you somehow. “  
“No. He bought me stuff, cause he was nice.”  
“I see. I think I see anyway. You think you owed it to him.”  
“I did, didn’t I? Quid pro quo. Yeah, I know fancy words too.”  
“You really didn’t. All you maybe owed him was a thank you. No, not even that. He did what he did hoping you’d react like you did. I know these people Dennis. Hell, I was one of them.”  
“So why should I trust you now?”  
“Because I’ve changed. I’m out of Oz. “  
“Yeah. I still let him do it.”  
“Let is not want, Dennis. Let is just another word for you didn’t want it.”  
Dennis’ eyes were moist.  
“Maybe,” he said choking back tears. He looked as lost as Andy had. This time Toby would do the right thing.  
“I let a lot of things happen to me in Oz,” said Toby.  
“You didn’t want them?”  
“Never. I thought the fault was mine, but it wasn’t. I thought because I killed a little girl I deserved what Schillinger did. I didn’t.”  
“So if I’m innocent..”  
“You are. You didn’t deserve any of that. You need to realize that.”  
“Yeah. I still won’t testify, cause he’ll kill me if I do.”  
“That’s’ your choice Dennis. But the cops can protect you.”  
“I don’t trust them.”  
“Do you trust me?”  
“You’re a child killer and an addict. But, yes I trust you.”  
“I know. Look, just take some time and think about what you want to do. Sleep on it. Talk to sister Theresa. Think about his future victims, you could help them.”  
“Don’t make this my fault.”  
“It’s not. But you can help.”  
“Maybe,” said Dennis. “Maybe I will.”  
*

“Is the boy going to talk?” asked Stabler.  
“He will,” said Toby, “given time.”  
“You don’t have time. He’s out there, he could be hurting someone right now.”  
“He’s not ready to talk yet.”  
“Make him ready. You’re a lawyer, aren’t you? You guys can talk people into things.”  
“You know this is a sensitive issue. “  
“I know. Push him harder if you must.”  
“I’m not here to push him, Elliot. I’m here to do what’s best for him.”  
“Oh you would say that..”  
“What? Is this a dig at my past? Go ahead, take you best shot. I’m an addict, a murderer, a prag, a worthless piece of shit. That’s what you meant to imply.”  
“No it’s not. Just that your vision might be clouded.”  
“Yeah, fuck you too,” said Toby coldly. “I’m looking out for him cause nobody else did, okay?”  
“You’re not projecting your own trauma on him then? Because nobody looked out for you.”  
“That’s not true. I had Chris.”  
“A serial killing conman,” said Elliot with a wry look.  
“Your brother.”  
“I knew him Toby. He only cared for himself.”  
“He loved me.”  
“Maybe he did, but he still hurt you.”  
“Love in Oz does that for you.”  
“Stockholm syndrome, Toby”  
“Maybe. But it was love anyway.”  
“I’m sorry, Toby. I’m so sorry for what he did to you, the number he played on your head.”  
“Yeah. Be that as it may, the boy needs more time. He’ll come around.”  
“I hope he does,” said Stabler and left.  
He had dreams lately, weird dreams. All about Toby. Toby had done a number on him too. He was a straight, if divorced man. He also had a case to work, Toby had gotten through to Dennis and maybe the young man would see reason.

 

*

They found a new victim with the same distinctive marks they’d seen on Dennis. It was clearly the work of the same perp. This victim was so shaken he could barely talk, let alone make a coherent statement. Stabler brought Dennis in to get a reaction from him.  
*

Dennis looked at the photo of the other boy.  
“That,” said Stabler “is what the man did to his latest victim.”  
Dennis looked away.  
“You could have stopped it, but you didn’t. “  
Dennis cried now, and Elliot stroked his shoulder.  
“You can stop him before anyone else gets hurt.”  
“Okay, “ said Dennis. “I’ll testify. I want to see Beecher now.”  
Stabler nodded. “Soon. But we need your statement.”  
Dennis gave him that.

*

“The boy’s a mess,” said Toby. “Nice work.”  
“I did my job,” said Elliot. “Now we can get the bastard good. He won’t hurt anyone else. Your job is to care for him. And you’ll help him. He trusts you”  
“No thanks to you,” huffed Toby even if he knew Stabler had a point.  
“Yeah. But the town is safer because of me.”  
“You look so much like him, but you’re nothing alike.”  
“Thank God for that Toby. The world didn’t need two of him.”  
“I did.”  
“You think you do, because you don’t think you deserve better. But you do, you’re a good man Toby.”  
Beecher laughed.  
“You are. Now go and comfort Dennis. I’ll see you.”  
“Will you?”  
“I hope so. You’ve got my number. Call me anytime. Or maybe we could have a coffee.”  
“I’d like that,” said Beecher despite himself. Stabler was nothing like Chris, not under the skin. He’d always love Chris, but maybe he needed to move on. With a cop? A straight cop? Possibly so. Maybe he could be bi, at least for Toby.

He went to see Dennis, to offer the comfort the cops couldn’t give. Dennis trusted him and Stabler thought he was a good guy. That counted for something. He had a choice now, and he choose to go towards the light.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this free for all prompt:  
> Beecher/Stabler - Oz/SVU crossover. I almost don't want to request this, but the idea struck me a while ago and I know I can't write it myself. Toby becomes a volunteer at a rape crisis center after leaving Oz. Elliot works on a case where a young man was raped but he refuses to even admit what had happened to him. Toby is called in to council the young man and meets Elliot. You can work this idea either way you want: Toby knew Chris in Oz, or he never met Chris. (I almost never read rape fic. It squicks the hell out of me, so please no graphic descriptions. And the issue of rape is sensitive subject matter. Like I said, I almost didn't ask for this one.)


End file.
